Toyota will produce the RAV4 in Russia from August 2016
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Toyota will produce the RAV4 in Russia from August 2016
- After starting the production in Russia of the Mitsubishi Outlander in 2010 and that of the the Renault Duster in 2011, the Ford Kuga in 2012, the VW Tiguan in 2014 and the Nissan Qashqai in 2015, Toyota has decided in turn to manufacture its compact SUV in this country, from the summer of 2016, even though today the Russian market fell to its lowest level since 2009. Several manufacturers have decided to withdraw from the Russian market, such as General-Motors or Honda, but Toyota decided to continue its investments in the country by expanding its range manufactured locally, because the potential of this market still seem so promising (it could exceed 3 million units in a few years).
- Toyota has been manufacturing the Camry sedan at its plant in Saint Petersburg since 2008. This model was sold at 30 136 units in 2015. The RAV4 compact SUV was the second best-selling model of the brand last year (27 102 units).
- Logically, the RAV4 has been chosen to support the Camry in the St. Petersburg plant, because the main model for several years, the Corolla, saw its sales decline gradually (6 137 sales cease in 2015). The production capacity of 50 000 vehicles per year from the plant could be doubled to 100 000 units per year, if the demand required it.
- In 2015, the Toyota plant in Saint Petersburg produced the Camry at 32 882 (against 36 775 in 2014), of which 2 746 were exported to neighboring countries, such as Belarus and Kazakhstan.
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Why is Hyundai-Kia launching a Premium brand?
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Why is Hyundai-Kia launching a Premium brand?
- For several years, given the continued growth in Premium brand sales worldwide, the Hyundai-Kia group plans to create its own premium brand, like the Toyota group, Honda group or Renault-Nissan group.
- The Korean group has decided to make the move by creating in 2016 the Genesis brand that will try not only to affirm its leading position in the Korean market, but also fight among other Asian brands like Lexus, Acura and Infiniti, mainly in the US market (the world's largest market for Asian premium brands).
- Tackle head on brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes (the first three premium brands in terms of global sales) will be more difficult, because these German brands are well established both in Europe, China and the US and have an extremely large range of models (sedans, limousines, station wagons, SUVs, minivans, coupes, convertibles), while the Genesis range will launch with only two models : a G80 sedan (segment E) and a G90 limousine (segment F). Competing with other brands like Volvo, Jaguar, Lincoln or Cadillac will be easier for Genesis, but it requires that the range can be considered legitimate on the world market and that it can develop quickly. Genesis would be preparing a G70 sedan (D-segment) and its SUV version that could be called GX70. Remember that the Genesis model already exists under the Hyundai brand since January 2008.
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Mitsubishi announced a redevelopment of its range
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Mitsubishi announced a redevelopment of its range
- To boost sales, Mitsubishi has announced a redeployment of its range. Unveiled in October 2015 at the Tokyo Motor Show, the concept eX was shown for the first time in Europe at the 86th Motor Show in Geneva. It foreshadows a new model in the Mitsubishi range of about 4.20 meters long that will be launched in 2019 among Japanese SUVs of segment B (Suzuki Vitara, Toyota CHR, Honda HRV), with a slightly greater size than that of the European SUVs Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur.
- The replacement of the current ASX (4.30 m long) it has been made longer by fifteen centimeters,while remaining in the SUV segment C category . It will be launched in 2017, in a body resembling that of the Xr PHEV Concept II unveiled in Geneva last year.
- Hence, the next generation of the Outlander (SUV from segment D) announced for 2018 has been made longer by a few centimetres too to get closer to 4,70 m long. This future Outlander could also replace the Pajero.
- Pajero's successor has been expected for years and it was still scheduled several months ago for a launch in 2018. In fact, as the demand is much rarer for these large traditional 4x4, Mitsubishi has not found a partner capable of selling part of its production (like Fiat in the large pickup category), the successor to the Pajero may never emerge.
- After the Lancer sedan, this would be the second brand icon to be permanently removed of the catalog in a few years. On the other hand, there will of a succession for the city Space Star that was recently restyled, which will consist of a small SUV reminiscent of the Renault Kwid. Mitsubishi is thus converted to a monoculture of SUVs for its entire range.
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Nissan to open its first plant in Myanmar
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Nissan to open its first plant in Myanmar
- Nissan has announced the forthcoming opening of its first vehicle assembly plant in Myanmar(In the region of Bago), in partnership with a Malaysian assembler Tan Chong Motor. Burma has previously attracted few automakers, but given the growth displayed throughout the Southeast Asian region, some now seem ready to reconsider the question. Nissan says that Burma is called to a rapid growth in auto demand, following recent political and economic reforms introduced in the country. The manufacturer plans an initial production of 10 000 vehicles per year (Nissan Sunny sedans).
- Myanmar is in full economic boom since the country opened up in 2011, after decades of isolation caused by a military junta, and is considered today as a country with great potential by investors.
- The neighbouring country Thailand already produces nearly two million vehicles each year for its own market (30% of production) and foreign markets (70% of production). But is now entangled in serious economic difficulties, with a military junta that came into power in 2014, and today is having difficulty in reassuring foreign investors.The current situation could therefore prompt some manufacturers already established in the region at a gradual transfer of part of the car production from Thailand to Burma.
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Sales of Chinese brands in Europe in 2015
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Sales of Chinese brands in Europe in 2015
- Sales of Chinese brands are still extremely low in Europe.
- Inovev has counted 6 000 units in 2015 (against 5 000 in 2014) in the European Union alone, where the overall market has approached 16 million vehicles. Most Chinese car sales were recorded in:
- 1 / Bulgaria (2 325 sales against 2 104 in 2014) where the Chinese manufacturer Great Wall has an assembly plant in CKD (at Lovech)
- 2 / England (3 152 sales against 2 326 in 2014) where the Chinese manufacturer MG has an assembly plant in CKD (in Longbridge)
- 3 / Italy (520 sales against 415 in 2014) where the Chinese manufacturer Chery has a CKD assembly plant (in Macchia d'Isernia)
- Chinese manufacturers did not reach their targets announced in the early 2000s,even more so bearing in mind that the EU market has experienced huge growth as a whole in 2015 (+ 9.4%) said growth has not really benefited Chinese manufacturers.
- The Qoros models imported in Europe (made in China by Chery) have even seen their (weak) sales cease during the year.
- Chinese manufacturers have also suffered from the very poor economic situation in both countries on the European continent but outside the European Union, Russia and Ukraine.While they had sold 92 000 vehicles in 2014 in both countries (82 000 in Russia and 10 000 in Ukraine), they have only sold 41 000 units in 2015 (39 000 in Russia and 2 000 in Ukraine ) the balance inside the European Union thus being largely negative (- 50,000 units over the period).
- A real breakthrough of Chinese manufacturers in Europe seems postponed ( except Volvo ).
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